How served: 22oz capped bottle poured into a De Struise Brouwers glass.

My Overall Opinion: Amazing

I paired this beer with: Nothing today. I had this as an after dinner drink.

Tasted on: Monday April 4th, 2011

Note: This beer has been sitting in my cellar for well over a year. Most of the bitterness from the hops in this beer has disappeared and the coffee notes have mellowed a bit. In my opinion I liked this brew aged better than fresh. As a result I upgraded my Overall Opinion from a Very Good to an Amazing because of the aging.

This beer poured a near black with a fluffy 2 finger tan head which hung around until I was half way finished with my glass and left a minimal lacing on the glass. The nose was all coffee, chocolate and roasted malts. The taste initial tasted reminded me of a Kahlua and Cream as the rich thick sweetness of this oatmeal stout and the coffee hit me first. Then the chocolate kicked in and this beer morphed into a delicious mocha drink, delicious! This beer had a medium to think creamy mouthfeel which was silky on the tongue. This beer is a great as an after dinner drink and the 10% abv was very well hidden. Like most beer of this style make sure you don’t drink it too cold. Let this warm up to 50-55 degrees before you drink this and you will not be disappointed. I’m looking forward to having this one again!

On the Label: From the deep dark depths of our Brewmaster’s imagination comes this rich and monstrous oatmeal stout. Our Sea Monster embodies all that the true dark beer aficionado will appreciate; roasted coffee notes, with hints of bittersweet chocolate and currant flavors all brought together by a perfect hop balance.

Don’t fear the Monster!

Our Robust Series gives all beer lovers an opportunity to try our most rare beers, previously available only on draft at select tap houses. Enjoy!

I paired this beer with: Fresh blueberries and strawberries. Wow, you couldn’t ask for a better beer pairing, you get fresh fruit with coffee and chocolate.

Tasted on: Wednesday June 2nd, 2010.

Note: The nose is just about all iced coffee. The taste is coffee and chocolate (mocha), I didn’t get much of the vanilla, it was there, but only mildly for me. Not to sweet, not to bitter, just right. The mouth feel was big and very smooth. The 10% was very well hidden. This is one heck of an amazing porter.

On the Label: Two of the world’s oldest beverages join forces to conquer your palate. Victory at Sea embodies the art of masterful brewing by infusing a velvety Imperial Porter with pure vanilla flavor and specially selected, hand roasted coffee. The addition of cold brewed coffee to the beer lends a subtle roasted flavor, blending perfectly with rich vanilla and caramel undertones. By uniting two San Diego brewing traditions, Caffé Calabria freshly brewed coffee and Ballast Point beer, we have successfully created an artisanal masterpiece.

Our Robust series gives all beer lovers an opportunity to try our moat rare beers, previously available only on draft at select tap houses. Enjoy! Get the Point!

Note: This is my second different beer from Ballast Point Brewing, the other being Sculpin IPA. Both were simply amazing. I could drink this beer anytime, anywhere & pair it with most meals. This bottle is a few months old, so it might have lost some of its “hop” bite, which might have made it more balanced. If you haven’t tried this beer yet & it’s available where you live, BUY IT & enjoy.

On the Label: Robust Series* Limited Release.

“On a quest to make delicious beers, our brewers have continually sought out creative new ways to accentuate the delightfully aromatic and flavorful qualities of hops. Hopheads rejoice! Dorado Double IPA takes hops to a new level. Marsh Hopping, First Wort Hopping, Kettle Hopping and Dry Hopping, create an award winning beer that embodies San Diego’s reputation for making world class IPAs. Our bottled Robust Series gives all beer lovers an opportunity to try our most rare beers, previously available only on draft at select tap houses. Enjoy! Get the Point! World Beer Cup 2006 Bronze Metal Winner.”

Note: This bottle says “Limited Release”, but it isn’t a onetime only release. Wow! What a nose on this beer & it has the taste to match. It is as good as it gets when it comes to IPA’s. The 7% ABV is very hidden, so be careful if you plan on drinking a few of these bombers in one sitting as it is very drinkable.

“The Sculpin IPA is a testament to our humble beginnings as Home Brew Mart. Founded in 1992, the Mart continues to be a catalyst for the San Diego brewing scene setting the trend for handcrafted ales. Inspired by our customers, employee and brewers, the Sculpin I.P.A. is bright with aromas or apricot, peach, mango and lemon. Its lighter body also brings out the crispness of the hops. This delicious Ballast Point Ale took the Bronze Medal at the 2007 Great American Beer Festival in the Pro Am category. The Sculpin fish has poisonous spikes on its fins that can give a strong sting. Ironically, the meat from a Sculpin is considered some of the most tasty. Something that has a sting but tastes great, sounds like a Ballast Point India Pale Ale.” “Get the Point!”